The NHS England Pathfinder Projects were established to address high value care pathways which cross commissioning and health care boundaries. Many conditions require a pathway of care which moves from the general practitioner through primary care and community services and into secondary care and sometimes specialised services. Difficulties in commissioning across boundaries, however, can cause artificial interruptions in what should be a seamless care pathway. The Pathfinder Projects are designed for all Stakeholders to work collaboratively to examine in depth these health care interfaces and to develop commissioning structures to commission care across the whole pathway. The Trauma Programme of Care Board selected low back pain and radicular pain as the Pathfinder Project. This is a high value care pathway in view of the very large number of patients involved.

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